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There is no one cure-all solution for global warming, and even if there was it certainly wouldn't be nuclear power. While nuclear power doesn't produce as many carbon dioxide emissions as coal based production plants, there are still problems and dangers associated with nuclear power that have yet to be addressed. Chief among these problems are those associated with safety, especially when dealing with waste disposal. Not to mention other scares such as meltdowns, pollution from radiation, and terrorist attacks on nuclear plants that could have severe collateral damage.

There have been some proposed solutions to the problems mentioned above. The White House and certain media outlets would have us believe, that a throw back to nuclear energy is somehow the wave of the future. While many officials assure us that nuclear power is safe and clean, the National Academy of Science has concluded that more work is needed to secure reactors and cooling pools at power plants. In addition, many of the "solutions" to the nuclear waste problem are just temporary fixes. Rather than finding a way to get rid of or reduce the amount of waste, we would simply be storing it, and passing the burden of an ultimate solution onto our children and grandchildren.

To help the environment, we should be looking at renewable energy sources, ones that produce little or no pollution, waste and harm to our already fragile world. These sources include wind, hydro and solar power among others. Some Americans may think that new energy systems are not reliable, and that we have to sacrifice our electrical addiction if we implement these new technologies. However, if we divert the money going into building new nuclear power plants, and the tax breaks going to the old energy companies, we could develop these new energy resources which would be easier on the environment and the consumers' pockets.

Wind power is a very promising option for our future energy needs. Opponents of wind energy argue that the mills cause visual pollution, meaning they aren't always aesthetically pleasing. Compared with the kind of pollution that current power plants emit, I don't think visual pollution is a problem. Visual pollution is not a cause of global warming, and until it is, I can't take this argument seriously. Besides, I'd rather look out the window and see wind mills, not a nuclear plant. Another invalid argument is that wind mills kill birds and bats. I really don't think we're giving animals enough credit here.

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